M. Arlidge - Pop Goes the Weasel

The two women stared at each other, refusing to back down. Harwood had been in full spate, castigating Charlie for her irresponsibility, when Charlie had thrown in her bombshell. She was resigning from the Force with immediate effect.

Harwood, with that effortless ease that ambitious people possess, paused momentarily then just steamrollered on. She refused to accept Charlie’s resignation. She would give her time to reconsider, to pull back from the very serious mistake she was making, in order to fulfil her destiny within the Force. Charlie wondered if Harwood had promised the Police Commissioner that she would step into Helen’s shoes and that their very high-profile investigation wouldn’t suffer as a result of Helen’s abrupt departure.

‘Charlie, we need you. The team needs you,’ Harwood continued, ‘so I’m going to ask you to swallow this for now.’

‘I can’t. I’ve given my word.’

‘I understand that but perhaps if I met with Steve? I know he had a problem with Helen, but she’s not a factor any more.’

‘She is to me. Which is all the more reason why -’

‘I appreciate loyalty, I really do, but you don’t seem to be seeing the bigger picture. We are about to bring this killer in and I need every available body on the case. We need to bring this to a close. For the good of everybody.’

For the good of your career, Charlie thought, but said nothing.

‘At the very least I would expect you to work your notice period. You know how funny HR can be about pensions and so on when people break the terms of their contract. Do that for me at least and help us see this thing to a close.’

Charlie capitulated shortly afterwards. The truth was she did feel bad about deserting Sanderson, McAndrew and the rest at this crucial time. Nevertheless it felt profoundly odd as she took her place in the incident room. Without Helen things were very different.

Sanderson had brought Harwood up to speed. The latter was now briefing the team, but Charlie had zoned out, boringly aware of the protocols Harwood would employ. They hadn’t traced Ella yet, but it was only a matter of time now – they had too much on her. Harwood was getting to the point and Charlie snapped out of it as her new boss finally bared her teeth.

‘Priority is to bring Ella Matthews in as quickly and cleanly as possible,’ Harwood announced. ‘She is a multiple murderer who will kill again and again unless stopped. I have therefore asked for and obtained an emergency court order allowing the use of deadly force in her apprehension. Tactical Support are mobilized and will step up if required.’

Charlie shot a look at the team, who looked surprised and uncomfortable, but Harwood carried on regardless:

We have one simple task now. And that is to bring Ella Matthews in. Dead or alive.’

She had approached the house with extreme caution and was surprised – and alarmed – to find that it wasn’t necessary. The press pack had inexplicably deserted Robert’s house. Calm had returned to this quiet cul-de-sac, but it was a mournful silence – the modest detached house looked lonely and desolate as the rain swept over it.

Helen stood still, getting more saturated with every passing second, as she debated what to do. Desperate to see for herself what Robert was going through, she had come to Cole Avenue in silent pilgrimage, but it was obvious now that something had happened. Something had driven the clambering hacks away.

She was still standing there debating what to do next, when the front door opened. A middle-aged woman shot a look here and there, as if expecting to be jumped, then hurried to a small hatchback which sat on their drive. She deposited a suitcase in the back, then turned again towards the house. Then she paused and swivelled to take in the sight of a beautiful woman in biking leathers standing stock still. Suspicion, then a moment of comprehension in Monica’s face, before suddenly and unexpectedly she started marching towards Helen.

‘Where is he?’ Helen blurted out.

‘What have you done?’ Monica spat back, fury rendering her words shaky and unstable.

‘Where is he? What’s happened?’

‘He’s gone.’

‘Gone where?’

Monica shrugged and looked away. She obviously did not want to let Helen see her cry.

‘Where?’ Despite her shame, Helen’s tone was angry and impatient.

Monica looked up sharply.

‘He must have gone last night. We found a note this morning. He… he says he probably won’t see us again. That it’s for the be-’

She broke down. Helen went to comfort her, but was angrily shrugged off.

‘God damn you for what you’ve done to him.’

She marched away into the house, slamming the door viciously behind her. Helen stood in the rain, not moving. She was right of course. Helen had wanted to save Marianne. She had wanted to save Robert. But she had damned them both.

Carrie Matthews’ hand shook as she gave DC Sanderson the photo. It was of Ella. It was a selfie that Ella had taken then emailed to her sister – a message of solidarity from her exile and something to remember her by. When Sanderson had turned up at Carrie’s home in Shirley, her husband, Paul, had tried to take over proceedings, forcing his young wife into the background. He was a bull of a man – an elder of the church and the founding father of Christian Domestic Order. Sanderson had taken great pleasure in ordering him out of the room, threatening him with a very public arrest if he didn’t comply. He seemed shocked – appalled might be more accurate – but eventually he’d done as he was told.

‘Please find her. Please help her,’ Carrie begged as she withdrew the photo from its hiding place in the dresser and handed it over to Sanderson. ‘She’s not what everyone thinks she is.’

‘I know,’ Sanderson replied. ‘We’re doing everything we can.’

But Sanderson knew even as she said it that the chances of this thing ending well were slim. Harwood was determined to stop Ella in her tracks by any means necessary and Ella was probably too far gone to fear death. Nevertheless she reassured Carrie and went on her way, adding as she left that there were many organizations and shelters that could help her if she ever needed them.

As soon as she stepped outside, her radio squawked into life.

A woman matching Ella’s description had just been seen shoplifting in a branch of Boots in Bevois. She had escaped the security guards and taken refuge somewhere in the Fairview estate.

Sanderson was in her car and on the road in seconds, her siren blaring as she bullied the midday traffic out of her way. This was it then. The endgame had begun. And Sanderson was determined to be in at the death.

She slunk into the room like a thief. It felt shameful and wrong to be here, even though she had run things for so many years. Now she was an outsider, unnecessary and unwelcome.

Following her confrontation with Robert’s mother, Helen had been adrift, reeling from the weight of the damage she had done. She had called Jake but he was with a client. After that she had momentarily ground to a halt, unsure of what to do next. There was no one else to call.